Xtra Time Web Desk: Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar in an exclusive interview with RevSportz Editor in Chief Boria Majumdar on his signature show Backstage with Boria said Virat Kohli should focus more on test cricket after the 50 overs World Cup in India. According to Shoaib, T20 cricket is draining, both physically and mentally. The Rawalpindi Express strongly believes Virat Kohli has it in him to break Sachin Tendulkar’s record.
“I don’t think he should play more 50-overs matches after this World Cup. Also, if you see him in T20s, it takes a lot out of him. I think he should play for at least six more years and break the 100 hundreds record of Sachin Tendulkar. Kohli has it in him to break the record. He should focus on Test cricket after this World Cup, and break this record,” said Shoaib to Boria Majumdar.
He went on to add, “Also, there was a lot of chat about him losing captaincy. I don’t read much into it. I actually think it has freed him up. Why did he start playing? He started his cricket to be like Sachin Tendulkar. He has become like Sachin. Scored loads of runs. Now, he should just continue to score runs for his team and win India more and more games. Losing captaincy is actually good for him as a batter, because the pressure of captaincy cripples you.”
On being asked about the two sixes that Virat hit against Haris Rauf in the T20 World Cup, Shoaib said, “That match was all about Virat Kohli. The cricket Gods wanted to do it for him. He wasn’t in the best of form, and was facing a lot of heat from you guys in India. The media was after him. It was God’s way of telling him – this is your stage, come and become king again. If you see all that transpired – rain and a lot of it, 100,000 people, 1.3 billion Indians watching, 30 crore Pakistanis watching, the whole world in awe – the stage was set for Kohli. It was the greatest stage of all. When you add the two sixes he hit off Haris Rauf, that match gave him back his kingdom. I think it was all destined for him on that day at the MCG.”